Twelve new players earned spots on the boys Rolex Junior All-America First Team in 2011, a year removed from a First Team that featured current college freshmen Jordan Spieth (Texas), Patrick Rodgers (Stanford), Anthony Paolucci (Southern Cal), Justin Thomas (Alabama), Oliver Schniederjans (Georgia Tech), Denny McCarthy (Virginia), and Michael Johnson (Auburn).
Shun Yat Hak of Lake Mary, Fla., garnered Rolex Junior All-America accolades for the third straight year and returns to the First Team after earning second-team honors in 2010. Like Hak, Billy Kennerly of Alpharetta, Ga., earned his third Rolex Junior All-America nod. He capped his junior career with first-team honors and is currently a freshman at Clemson.
The First Team also features five two-time Rolex Junior All-Americans. Cody Proveaux of Leesville, S.C., and A.J. McInerney of Henderson, Nev., were second-team selections in 2010, while Jonathan Garrick of Atherton, Calif., Zachary Wright of Phoenix and Motin Yeung of Orlando, Fla., were honorable mention Rolex Junior All-Americans last season.
A trio of Texans makes its debut as Rolex Junior All-Americans, as Connor Black of Houston, Brad Dalke of McKinney and Scott Scheffler of Dallas each earned nods to the First Team.
Parker Derby of Columbus, Ga., and Matthew NeSmith of North Augusta, S.C., round out the first-team selections and earned their first bid to the Rolex Junior All-America Team.
First-team Rolex Junior All-Americans
Connor Black,
Houston, Texas (Class of 2014)
Black, 16, is a high school sophomore and
climbed to No. 6 in the Polo Golf Rankings thanks to his win at the 2011
Western Junior Championship. He added four other top-10 finishes, including a third-place
showing at the FJ Invitational, and posted a 3-1-0 record as a member of the
Wyndham Cup West Team.
Brad Dalke, McKinney,
Texas (Class of 2016)
Dalke, 14, is an eighth grader at Spring Creek Academy and is No. 4 in the
Polo Golf Rankings, thanks to an historic win at the Thunderbird International
Junior in May. At the age of 13 years, 9 months and 11 days, he became the
youngest boys Invitational champion and the third-youngest boys champion in
AJGA history. He added four other AJGA top-10 finishes on his way to the Rolex
Junior All-America First Team.
Parker Derby,
Columbus, Ga. (Class of 2013)
Derby,
a junior at Brookstone High School, had a breakout year in 2011 winning the
Bobby Chapman Junior. Ranked No. 12 in the Polo Golf Rankings, he also recorded
two runner-up finishes at the Frederica Junior Open and the Bubba Conlee to
earn Rolex Junior All-America honors for the first time in his career.
Jonathan Garrick,
Atherton, Calif. (Class of 2012)
Garrick,
17, is a senior at St. Francis High School and has verbally committed to UCLA.
A two-time Rolex Junior All-American, Garrick posted top-10 finishes at four of
his tournaments in 2011. A showing in
the semifinals of the 2010 Polo Golf Junior Classic and runner-up finishes at
the McArthur Towel & Sports Future Legends and The Junior PLAYERS
Championship presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf have earned Garrick the No. 7
position in the Polo Golf Rankings
Shun Yat Hak, Lake
Mary, Fla. (Class of 2012)
Hak,
17, is a senior at Lake Mary Preparatory School. He holds the No. 1 spot in the
Polo Golf Rankings on the strength of two 2011 victories. Hak captured the
champions trophy at both the Rolex Tournament of Champions and the
TaylorMade-adidas Golf Junior at Innisbrook hosted by Sean OHair. He also
finished second at The PING Invitational and fourth at the HP Boys Championship
at Carlton Woods. This marks Haks third nod as a Rolex Junior All-American.
Billy Kennerly,
Alpharetta, Ga. (Class of 2011)
Kennerly,
19, is in his freshman year at Clemson University. The Mount Pisgah Christian
School graduate earned first-team Rolex Junior All-America accolades on the
strength of four top-5 finishes in AJGA competition, including a victory at the
FJ Invitational. He recorded runner-up performances at the Thunderbird
International Junior and the Exide Technologies Junior Open en route to his
third nod as a Rolex Junior All-American.
AJ McInerney,
Henderson, Nev. (Class of 2012)
McInerney,
18, currently holds the No. 3 position in the Polo Golf Rankings behind his win
at The PING Invitational, which was one of five top-15 finishes in 2011. A
senior at Coronado High School, McInerney has verbally committed to attend
UNLV. McInerney tied for fourth at the Thunderbird International Junior and
tied for fifth at the HP Boys Championship at Carlton Woods. He was a
participant in the 2011 Wyndham Cup (West) and reached the Round of 32 at the
U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.
Matthew NeSmith,
North Augusta, S.C. (Class of 2012)
NeSmith, 18, a senior at North Augusta High
School, has ascended to No. 5 in the Polo Golf Rankings on the strength of four
top-three finishes in national junior golf competition. He began the season
with a runner-up finish at the Jones Cup Junior Invitational, followed by a win
at the Sea Pines Junior Heritage. Most recently, NeSmith finished third at The
PING Invitational.
Cody Proveaux,
Leesville, S.C. (Class of 2012)
Following
his breakthrough victory at the 2010 Polo Golf Junior Classic, Proveaux
recorded three straight runner-up finishes at AJGA Invitationals, including the
Rolex Tournament of Champions. Ranked No. 2 in the Polo Golf Rankings, the
Pelion High School senior also won the 2011 Junior PGA Championship and
finished second at the Bobby Chapman Junior. Proveaux has verbally committed to
Clemson.
Scott Scheffler,
Dallas, Texas (Class of 2014)
Scheffler, 15, carded six top-10 finishes in
national competition en route to first-team honors. A sophomore at Highland
Park High School, his best finish of the season was a third-place showing at
the Laredo Energy Junior at Traditions. He is No. 13 in the Polo Golf Rankings
and posted a 2-1-1 record as a member of the 2011 Wyndham Cup West Team.
Zachary Wright,
Phoenix, Ariz. (Class of 2012)
Ranked
No. 11 in the Polo Golf Rankings, Wright began his summer with a win at the
Winn Grips Heather Farr Classic hosted by Longbow Golf Club. A two-time Rolex
Junior All-American, Wright finished third at the PING Phoenix Junior and
fourth at the Junior PGA Championship. The Pinnacle High School senior is being
named to the First Team for 2011 and has verbally committed to LSU.
Motin Yeung, Orlando,
Fla. (Class of 2012)
Yeung,
18, is a senior at Windermere Preparatory School. He is currently ranked No. 10
in the Polo Golf Rankings and has earned Rolex Junior All-America honors for
the third consecutive year. He began the year with a victory at the Jones Cup
Junior Invitational and followed it with a tie for fourth at the Thunderbird
International Junior. Most recently, Yeung finished in a tie for eighth at The
PING Invitational.
Second Team
Lorens
Chan, Honolulu, Hawaii
Henry
Do, Ypsilanti, Mich.
Nicolas
Echavarria, Medellin, Colombia
Jacob
Fair, Monett, Mo.
Doug
Ghim, Arlington Heights, Ill.
Beau
Hossler, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.
David
Lee, Houston, Texas
Jim
Liu, Smithtown, N.Y.
Nick
McLaughlin, New Castle, N.H.
Taylor
Moore, Edmond, Okla.
Luke
Park, Fullerton, Calif.
James
Yoon, Bradenton, Fla.
Honorable Mention
Kristian
Caparros, Miami Lakes, Fla.
Corey
Carlson, Green Cove Springs, Fla.
Yi
Keun Chang, Walnut, Calif.
Daniel
Chian, Covina, Calif.
A.J.
Crouch, Jacksonville, Fla.
Branson
Davis, McKinney, Texas
Zecheng
Dou, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Nicolo
Galletti, Clayton, Calif.
Matt
Gilchrest, Southlake, Texas
Kyle
Kochevar, Glen Ellyn, Ill.
Hank
Lebioda, Winter Springs, Fla.
Julian
Lerda, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Vincent
Martino, Southlake, Texas
Lee
McCoy, Clarkesville, Ga.
Jordan
Niebrugge, Mequon, Wis.
Zachary
Olsen, Cordova, Tenn.
Michael
Pisciotta, Alpharetta, Ga.
Eric
Ricard, Shreveport, La.
Conor
Richardson, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Corey
Shaun, Encinitas, Calif.
Robby
Shelton, IV, Wilmer, Ala.
Harrison
Shih, Saddle River, N.J.
Adam
Wood, Zionsville, Ind.
Taylor
Zoller, North Charleston, S.C.